Exercises for All Ages: From Your Wrists to Your Ankles

Written by Michele Wheat

It's easy to think that stretching is something you can skip over if you don't have enough time. The truth is that stretching is a crucial part of any exercise routine, both before exercising to warm up and after exercising to cool down. Regular stretching helps keep muscles flexible, helps joints move more freely, and helps avoid injuries from exercise. Try to stretch for at least a few minutes every day.

K-8 Resources

Exercises and Stretching for Kids - These gentle stretching exercises will help kids keep their muscles and joints flexible and ready to move.
Fun and Simple Stretches for Kids - Before kids engage in active play or exercise, teach them to do some simple stretches to warm up muscles and remove tension.
Stretch for Your Best - Teach kids that stretching helps keep joints moving freely, improves performance, and helps ease any muscle soreness.
16 Fun and Simple Stretching Exercises for Kids - Everyone needs to stretch regularly, including kids. Stretching can be a fun activity that helps people of all ages feel better.
Animal Inspired Stretches to Move Your Body - Following the movements of animals, kids can reach for the sky like giraffes, crouch down low like frogs, or arch their backs like cats.
12 Exercises For Kids That are Actually Fun - The superhero stretch involves lying flat on the floor with arms stretched wide. Then, arch the back and lift chest, arms, and legs off the floor so it looks like you're flying.
Classroom Exercise Breaks for Elementary Students - Reaching for the sky while standing on tippy toes is a great way to stretch the whole body. Hold this stretch for at least 15 seconds.
Warm-Ups and Stretches - The butterfly stretch involves sitting on the ground with knees bent and the bottoms of the feet touching. Try to touch your knees to the ground and hold this stretch without bouncing for 30 seconds.
23 Cool-Down Activities for Kids - Stretching after exercise is a great way to bring the heart rate down slowly and move gently to stretch out muscles that were just used.
Youth Fitness: Cool Down and Stretch - While gently stretching after exercising with kids, talk about what they just did to exercise their bodies.

Young Adult Resources

Flexibility Exercises for Young Athletes - Stretching is an important part of any exercise routine because it helps prevent injuries.
Daily Stretching Routines for Beginners, Runners, and More - A static stretch involves holding a position, while a dynamic stretch involves stretching and moving at the same time.
How to Do a Full-Body Stretching Routine - Regular stretching can help improve circulation and slow mobility loss that often accompanies aging.
Stretching Exercises: Kids Sports Injury Prevention - Perform warm-up exercises for about five minutes before moving into a regular exercise routine.
The Ideal Stretching Routine - Experts recommend that healthy adults perform flexibility exercises for all muscle groups at least two to three times each week.
Warm-Up Exercises and Stretches - Warm-up routines help get the blood moving and help loosen muscles so they're ready to work.
Stretching and Flexibility Guidelines Update - It's best to stretch muscles every day, holding static stretches for between 10 and 30 seconds each.
Flexibility Exercise (Stretching) - Flexibility exercises combine with the other types of exercise that include endurance, strength, and balance for a well-rounded routine.
10 Best Warm-Up Exercises To Help You Make The Most Of Every Workout - Not only does warming up prepare your muscles for exercise, it also prepares your nervous system to work at its best level.
How to Become More Flexible (Because Yes, It's Important) - Your flexibility level determines the amount of stretch your muscles will allow, and you can increase flexibility by regularly stretching.

Senior Resources

7 Stretching Exercises for Seniors - It's especially important for seniors to keep stretching muscles to maintain mobility and flexibility.
9 Simple and Important Stretching Exercises for Seniors - Regular exercise in the senior years can be challenging, but it helps keep muscles strong and flexible.
Best Dynamic Stretches for Older Adults - Dynamic stretching can help seniors stay fit and active enough to keep doing other exercises.
9 Important Stretching Exercises for Seniors to Do Every Day - Regular stretching might help seniors avoid common issues like falls.
14 Strength, Flexibility & Balance Exercises for Seniors - Seniors often fall in old age because they lack strength and balance. Stretching can help improve both of these issues.
5 Stretches for Older Adults - Regular stretching increases blood flow and range of motion, improves mood, and helps reduce stress.
21 Chair Exercises For Seniors: A Comprehensive Visual Guide - Older adults with mobility issues can perform many stretches while seated in chairs.
12 Best Leg Stretches for Seniors and the Elderly - Lower body stretches such as seated lifts or standing quadriceps stretches help enhance muscle flexibility and strength.
Sciatica Stretches and Exercises for Seniors - Sciatica pain can often be reduced or eliminated with stretching and exercise.
10 Stretching Exercises Seniors Can Do Every Day - Stretching hip flexors, calves, hamstrings, and smaller upper body muscles helps promote strength, balance, and flexibility.